Continuous gas making process



y c. B. HILLHOUSE 2,007,860

- 'couwmuous GAS MAKING PROCESS Filed July 30, 1 932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 9, 1935.

C. B. HILLHOUSE CONTINUOUS GAS MAKING PROCESS Filed July 30, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 GAarZeJBHiZZJEQwsnette Jaye, 193s PAT A con'rnmous ass it. I G PRUCES-S' Charles B. Hillhouse, Newport, It. 1., assignor to Sylvia Remsen Hillhouse, New York, N. Y.

Application an 30,1932, Serial No. 627,165

11' lllllailrns.

My invention relates to a method of making gas, andm'ore particularly to a gas generator wherein the zone of combustion and the zone of gasification are located in different sections of 5 the same chamber, but are substantially adjacent each other, while communicating through an open passage or gap which serves to supply heat in an unmuflied manner directly to the gasification zone in a manner to cause the gas forming materials to quickly flash into a combustible gas. Multiple chambers with open connections would do as well.

The main object'is to arrange a combustion zone within a chamber in such a manner that unmuflied heat may readily pass into an adjoininggasification section of the chamber while preventing gases of combustion from mixing into the made gases.

Another object is to transfer heat in such a manner that a portion of the heat of combustion is focused from a large curved surface in the combustion section of the chamber to a smaller curved surface in the gasification section of the chamber wheregas making materials are being acted upon.

Another object is to not only utilize the heat from the waste gases of combustion to preheat steam in a recuperator, but also to arrange the final stage of preheating by means of a super recuperator directly within the combustion zone whereby to produce a maximum of preheating of the steam to be supplied to the gasification section of the chamber.

Another object is to provide a gas generator that is comprised of a plurality of similar standardized units whereby replacement of any unit may be made without substantially interfering with the operation of the remaining units. Another object is to provide a means for controlling the relative pressures within the zones of combustion and gasification.

Other objects will be apparent from a reading of the specification which follows.

The method and apparatus of this application follows the general idea disclosed in my application, Serial No. 601,015, filed March 24, 1932, but is intended to be an improvement in the manner and regulation of combustion so that gases of combustion will not mix into material in the same chamber which are being acted upon by the heat generated from said combustion. It is also an improvement in the method of preheating of steam or CO2 shown in that application and also may be used for other purposes.

In making gas, the object is to arrange combustion in such a way that unmumed heat may readily pass into the gasification section of a common chamber while preventing gases of combustion from mixing into the made gases. This is accomplished by passing tangentially a stream of fuel and air under pressure into and along the insulated walls of a curved chamber, or section of a chamber, where combustion takes place, but which wall is open on one side to communicate through a wide passage with an adjacent gasification section or chamber and pass heat into same.

The burning stream of air and fuel is caused to whirl around in a zone closely adjacent the curved wall of the combustion section of the chamber and substantially in a helical path upwardly or downwardly. The passage between the two sections of the chamber is so arranged that the whirling jet or sheet of flame is thrown across the passage in a fiat sheet form to impact the curved wall of the combustion section on the other side of the passage. A preferred way of producing this action of the jet is to place on the wall adjacent the nearer edge of the passage deflecting material of such a shape as to throw the whirling frame directly across the passage or gap in a flat sheet form. The result is that intermittently and alternately the flame acts centrifugally up to the gap as it travels helically either up or down, and while in crossing the gap the flame assumes the form more or less of a straight line current or a vertical flat sheet, with no tendency to pass into and through the passage and so into the gasification zone, though it can, if desired, exercise a controllable amount of pull through the open passage on the made gases in the gasification section-of the chamber.

This method might therefore be used for step pyrometer of the thermocouple type placed inthe gasification section, so that in the event of hot gases of combustion entering the gasiflcation zone and producing a predetermined temperature in the pyrometer, an electric circuit would be energized to operate the air and/or fuel valves ii a. 16:.1

to correct or remove the cause of gases of combustion entering the combustion zone.

In my previous application Serial No. 601,015, steam was to be preheated in a recuperator through which hot gases of combustion from or near the combustion chamber were to be passed; this, of course, would limit the heat transferred to the steam to the sensible heat in the gases of combustion.

In the present application, it is proposed to place the final section or sections of a recuperator in the combustion section of the chamber itself, preferably in the axis thereof in the form of an axial carborundum tube, so that the entire heat from combustion will be available to heat the super-recuperator, thereby continuously raising steam to a higher temperature than the former plan. This can be done if a carborundum recuperator were used. In order to increase exposed surfaces for the steam to contact with,

broken material, or small cubes, balls, or pieces" of any desired shape, as for instance inner Carbofrax tubes of less diameter may be placed in the carborundum axial tube.

The combustion section is constructed so as to transfer heat from the combustion zone to the gasification zone in such a way as to focus heat from the larger surface of the combustion section of the chamber to the smaller surface of the gasification section. This is brought about by curving the walls against which combustion takes place so as to concentrate or focus the radiant heat through the passage to the gasification section. The incandescent axial super-recuperator will also radiate and add heat rays to the gasification zone.

When. the highly preheated steam from the recuperator enters the gasification section to combine with carbonaceous material, it will not only take up heat from the hot walls and the becoming heated carbonaceous material, but the steam will itself directly absorb some of the above radiant heat and in turn transfer it to the carbonaceous material, thereby performing a most important duty in gasification.

If it is desired to have less pressure for the air for combustion, and which pressure would not be sumcient to carry the flame and gases of combustion across the open passage or gap, an extra deflector of suitable material should be used at that point which would additionally defleet the flame and gases of combustion acre. the gap. In cases where pulverized coal or ot' solid carbonaceous material is used for gas in and the coal can be pr heated as well as the steam to sufiiciently high temperatures, they may supply the entire heat for water gas reaction, which would include all the heat for absorption,

that is, their average temperature will be enough higher than the reacting temperature of 1832 F. In this case, no provision need be made for heat other than that furnished by the steam and the coal and the open passage from the combustion section may be reduced in size. In view of the fact that the gas forming materials are supplied to the generator in a highly heated state, these materials are caused to quickly flash into chemical combination to form a made gas.

Though the specifications and drawings show its use in connection with making water gas, the process can be used as well in regenerating CO; to form CO or for other high temperature purposes. The drawings show construction of a single unit and a group of units which, it is aocvgaeo preferred, should be of standardized parts that could be readily interchangeable.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my preferred form of apparatus in carrying out the process.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 shows a battery of standard units;

Figure 4 shows a modified control; and

Figure 5 shows a modified form of super-recuperator.

Referring to Fig. l, a combustible gas generator 4 is shown preferably as a chamber with two circular or curved sections 2 and 3 which open into each other through a passage 4. Combustion takes place in section designated as 2 while gasification takes place in section 3. The connecting passage between these sections extends vertically for' the length of the sections. Air under pressure for combustion is supplied to chamber 2 by a conduit 5, while a fuel oil spray is supplied by a conduit 6, and these conduits are merged into a single conduit which communicates with the section 2 tangentially. A carborundum tube 1 is arranged axially within the chamber 2 and is filled with broken carborundum crystals 1 or other fragments of carborundum or prepared forms, as previously described, to afford as high heat contact surfaces as possible in passing heated steam from a recuperator 8 through the tube.

The recuperator 8 is similar to the recuperator shown in my application, Serial No. 601,015, referred to above, and is positioned to permit the hot Waste gases of combustion to pass from the upper end of the chamber 2 through a flue 9 and downwardly over the outer surfaces of the heat exchange tubes H) of the recuperator, and finally out through an outlet H. Steam is supplied to the recuperator tubes through an inlet conduit l2 arranged axially within the outlet II and this steam flows back and forth through the recuperator tubes in parallel streams and enters the top of the tube l after having passed upwardly through the passage 23. I prefer to arrange a thin wall 3' of carborundum between recuperator and combustion section 2 of the chamber, whereby to better transfer heat. to steam I3 by conducting heat through this wall from combustion section 2.

The highly heated steam after passing downwardly over the carborundum crystals or pieces in tube l is conducted through a conduit M which communicates with the gasification section 3. The oil or carbonaceous fuel is supplied by an inlet conduit it which is arranged to pass axially through the steam conduit M and these conduits discharge tangentially within section 3 at a common point l5, whereby the mixed material fed from both conduits is caused to whirl helically and upwardly towards the top of the section 3. The outlets of conduits 5 and 6 may be formed to provide a suitable burner for mixing and burning the fuel and air. A triangular or other shaped bafiie i6 is placed in theaxis of the gasification section 3 for the purpose of continuously throwing portions of a revolving current towards the walls of the chamber so as to keep mixing together the gas making materials. The made gases are drawn off through the reduced gas outlet 3a. It will be noted from Fig. 2 that a section of the inner wall faces of chambers 2 and 3 are curved rather sharply toward the chamber axis at one point adjacent an edge of gap 4. This wall formation will deflect the sheets of burning gases and gas forming materials and cause same to follow a straight path across this gap, thereby acting .unit, since all such units are similar and interchangeable.

In Fig. 1, a pyrometer 20 of the thermo-couple type is shown as a control means for operating the air and fuel valves l|i8, whereby to vary the pressure in chamber 2 relative to that in chamber 3. The pyrometer is connected to a galvanometer 2| in the usual manner and the control contact 22 and the pointer 23are connected in series in a circuit comprising conductors 24-25, battery 26, and solenoid 21. When the solenoid 21 is energized,due to closing of the circuit by pointer 23 touching contact 22, the armature rod 28 is moved to the right. Valve operating levers 29 and 30 are connected respectively to air and fuel valves l1 and I8 at one end and to the rod 28 at their opposite ends, whereby movement of the rod 28 is effective to move both valves towards closed position upon an excessive increase in temperature in chamber 2. If de-- sired, only one of the valves l|--I8 may be so controlled.

A modified form of valve control is shown in Fig. 4, wherein a manometer tube 3| containing mercury is connected at one side by a conduit 32 leading to chamber 2, and at its other side by a.

'conduit 33 leading to chamber 3. Depending upon any desired difference of pressure within the chambers, a variation in the mercury level may be employed to energize circuit 24-45-46 to operate the rod 28.

In Figure 5 is shown a modified form of superrecuperator 1 wherein it has been given a flared form by increasing its diameter towards-the lower end. The purpose of such construction is to provide an increasing capacity of the super-recuperator towards its lower or outlet end to take care 01 and permit an increase in the volume of steam when superheated at the high temperature reached.

If desired, the process and apparatus described may be used to regenerate carbon dioxide ,to form carbon monoxide in, which event the materials supplied to the gas makingzone will comprise carbon dioxide and carbonaceous material, and the former will be reduced to carbon monoxide which will constitute the gaseous product of the generator.

from the combustion zone acts in an unmuiiied relation through the gap upon said materials (without substantial mixing of gases of combustion) into the made gases.

2. In the method as set forth in claim 1, the additional step of controlling the passage of made gases through the gap and into said zone of combustion.

3. In the method as set forth in claim 1, the additional step of varying the relative pressures in said chambers for controlling the passage of a portion of made gases into said zone of combustion.

4. In the method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the materials for making water gas comprise steam and oil or other liquid hydrocarbons.

5. In the method as set forth in claim 1, where in the materials for making water gas comprise steam and coal or other solid carbonaceous matter. v

6. In the method as set forth in claim '1, wherein the materials supplied comprise carbon dioxide and carbonaceous material and react to form carbon monoxide gas.

v 7. In a gas generator, the method of continuously making gas wherein the gas forming materials flash into chemical combination which comprises maintaining zones of combustion and of gas making materials respectively on opposite sides of a. communicating directheat exchange gap, and causing the materials in each zone to pass said gap in the same direction, whereby the heat from said combustion zone is absorbed directly through said gap by said materials to gasify the same. i

8. In a method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the gas making materials comprise heated steam and carbonaceous materials, the radiant heat from the zone of combustion being absorbed by the heated steam.

Q. In a gas generator, the method of continuously making gas wherein the gas forming materials, flash into chemical combination, which comprises maintaining zones of combustion and gasmaking materials, respectively, on-oppcsite sides oi. a communicating direct heat exchange gap, and causing the materials in each zone to pass said gap along substantially parallel paths whereby the heat from said combustion zone is absorbed directly through said gap by said ma terials to gasi-iy the same without substantial mix ing of the made gas and the material in the combustion zone.

10. In a method as set forth in claim 9, wherein the gas making materials comprise highly heated steam and carbonaceous materials, the heat from the zone of combustion being transierred to the gas forming materials in direct unmuilled relation to gasiiy the same.

11. The method 01' continuously making gas wherein the gas forming materials flash into chemical combination which comprises maintaining a zone of helically moving incandescent gases in one direction, maintaining a moving stream of gas making materials within a zone adjacent to, but spaced from, said zone of gases, whereby the heat from said gases is efl'ective in unmuifled relation to gasify said materials through heat interchange without substantial mixing of made gas with the incandescent gas of combustion.

CHARLES B. I-IILLHOUSE. 

